Time period indicator



Sept. 6, 1949. M. T. BENNER ET AL.

TIME PEROD INDICATOR Filed Dec. 31, 1946 ZSnnentors MARK T. BENNER JU S B. ORTIER (Ittomeg Patented Sept. 6, 1 949 TIME PERIOD INDICATOR Mark T. Benner and Jules B. Fortier,

Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December 31, 1946, Serial N 0. 719,378 1 Claim. 235-88) This invention relates to an indicator, and important objects and advantages thereof are to provide a device of the character described, which is conveniently operable to designate and visibly display the days of the month between starts of menstrual periods that a woman is most susceptible to conception in accordance with the consensus of the best medical authorities, which is adaptable to menstrual time period differentials, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable, compact, readily understandable, attractive in appearance, and comparatively economical in its manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood that the latter is merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that changes in the form, proportions, and details of construction may be Tesorted to that come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a time period indicator constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the operating disk embodied in the invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the base disk.

Referring in detail to the drawing, which is approximately full-size, the improved time period indicator comprises a fiat base disk I and a flat operating disk 2. The disks may be constructed of Celluloid, or of any other suitable analogous material that is fairly rigid and durable.

The operating disk 2 is mounted flatly on the top of the base disk I, and is revolubly secured to the latter, for manually adjustable frictional rotation, by a pivoting pin 3, which extends through the diametric centers of the disks. The diameter of the base disk is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the operating disk to facilitate the adjustment of the latter on the base disk for the purposes to be described.

The top surface of the base disk I is printed with four circular rows of numerals, which rows are respectively indicated at 4, 5, 6, and l. The rows of numerals are arranged concentrically in regufragmentary side or edge view larly spaced relation to each other, and each row of numerals represents the days of a full month. The inner row 4 comprises the consecutively arranged numerals from one to twenty-eight; the row 5 comprises the numerals from one to twentynine; the row 5 comprises the numerals from one to thirty, and the row 7 comprises the numerals from one to thirty-one.

The top surface of the operating disk 2 is printed with a plurality of concentrically arranged lines 8, which divide the top surface of the operating disk into four correspondingly arranged circular zones, respectively indicated at 9, I0, H, and I2. Each of the zones is provided with an elongated slot l3, Which is curved to conform to the concentric arrangement of respective zones. Each of the zones is further provided with a window M, which is disposed rearwardly of and in spaced relation to the associated slot l3. The terms rearwardly and forwardly are herein applied relatively to the direction of rotation of the operating disk 2 on the base disk I, which is in the clockwise direction, as clearly indicated by an arrow [5 printed in each of the zones between the window l4 and the associated slot l3. The slot and window of each of the zones is disposed in exact registration with respective numeral rows 4, 5, 6, and 1 on the base disk, and portions of said numeral rows are always visible through said slots and windows, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

The length of each of the slots only nine consecutive numerical any of the rows 4, 5, 6, and 1, are visibly displayed through said slots in respective zones 9, I0, I I, and 12, at any one time. The size of the windows l4 allows the visible display of only one numerical designation of respective rows, at any one time. Eight numerical designations, of each of the rows, consecutively intervenin between the numerical designation displayed in the window H and the first numerical designation displayed in the associated slot I 3, are covered by that portion of respective zones intervening between said window and said slot.

The indicia 28 day month surface of the operating disk indicia 29 day month is printed in zone ID; the indicia 30 day month is printed in zone H, and the indicia 31 day month is printed in zone l2.

In practice, the use of the improved time period indicator is as follows: Assuming that the menstrual period of the user begins in any of the months of the year having thirty-one days, namely, January, March, May, July, August,

[3 is such that designations, of

is printed on the '2 in zone 9; the

October, or December, she will employ the zone designated 31 day month, which is zone l2 to determine the days of the month that she is most susceptible to conception. Supposing the menstrual period begins on the 12th day of the month, she will adjust the operating disk 2 on the base disk I to bring the window [4 in zone [2 into registration with numerical designation l2 in the numerical row "I, as clearly shown in Figure 1. When the operating disk is so adjusted, the numerical designations 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 2'7, 28, and 29, of said row 1, will be visibly displayed through the slot 13 in zone l2, as illustrated Figure 1, and such displayed numerical desig- 7 H I6" nations are the days of the month on which she is most susceptible to conception. The other zones 9, l9, and H are employed in-thesame manner for respective day months.

The present invention provides a most efficient 7 device of its kind, which may be successfully em pl'eyed for the benefit and assistance to women who practice so-ca'lled rhythm systems, well known in the art to which the invention appertains.

What we claim is:

An indicator of the class described, comprising a flat base disk displaying four spaced concentrically arranged rows of consecutively disposed numerical designations, each of said rows of numerical designations representing the days of a full month and varyin in the number of numericaldesignations with respect to any other of said rows of numerical designations, and a flat operating disk mounted on said base disk and being revolubly connected to the latter, the top surface of said operating disk being divided by lines into four concentrically arranged zones, each of said zones being provided with a pair of spaced openings disposed in registration with respective rows of numerical designations, one opening of said pair of openings being of a size allowing the display of but one numerical designation therethrough at any one time and the other opening being of a size allowing the display therethrough of nine consecutive numerical designations at any one time, the space intervening between each pair of said associated openings being of a length to conceal the eight consecutive numerical designations disposed between the adjacent ends of each pair of associated openings, each of said zones displaying indicia desig- "nating different day months, and each of said arrow designating the didisk on said zones displaying an rection of rotation of said operating base disk.

MARK T. BENNER. JULES B.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,942,754 Heyssler Jan. 19, 1934 2,076,242 Marquis Apr. '6', 193'? 2,095,521 Gron'vold Oct. 21, 1937 22,098,622 Gronvold Nov. '9', 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 139,063 Austria May 15; 1984 

